11 foods to eat when you have period cramps

Many of the foods you already know are healthy can help, including salmon, dark leafy vegetables, eggs, and oats. Sarah Schmalbruch/INSIDER

Periods are the worst, so it's totally understandable that you want to dive face-first into an entire chocolate cake when yours starts. Although it would definitely taste amazing right now, the sad news is that it won't actually help you physically feel better.

What you can do — besides stocking up on NSAIDs, or sewing a bunch of heating pads into a convenient robe and bingeing all the Netflix you can stand - is this: eating some foods that actually help.

Here's what you should stuff in your face to put those cramps in their place — as well as why. (Yes, there is chocolate involved. Read on.)

If you're not a fan of drinking your water by itself, try eating some of the leafy greens or fruits elsewhere on this list — they contain plenty of water in a form you might find tastier. Also, warm or hot liquids can help soothe your cramps, so drinking your water in the form of the hot chamomile tea that's also on this list is a solid option.

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2. Eat some salmon.

Why it helps: Salmon and other cold-water fish are rich in the type of fatty acids known as omega-3s. These help to reduce inflammation, which makes them good for general pain relief — including the pain of menstrual cramps, according to Everyday Health.

But there's more good news about salmon, too. Besides being a healthy source of protein, it's also an amazing dietary source of vitamins D and B6. According to Everyday Health, Vitamin D makes it possible for you to absorb calcium— something else that makes period pain more manageable. And vitamin B6 can help with the breast tenderness and irritability you might be experiencing along with your extremely painful cramps.

While you're building that smoothie, you might want to throw in some chunks of fresh pineapple as well. Besides being delicious, pineapples contain bromelain — an enzyme that fights inflammation— registered dietitian Lisa Hayim told Redbook.

A little kiwi can make your fruit bowl a triple threat when it comes to beating back those cramps. Rich in the enzyme actinidin, kiwis can help you digest protein more easily — and the fiber can also help move things along so you aren't dealing with constipation on top of your cramping, according to registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield.

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5. Get more calcium into your diet.

Cheese isn't the only source of calcium.
Faith Lohr/Shutterstock

Why it helps: Calcium helps reduce your cramps, Hayim told Redbook. If you're lactose intolerant, non-dairy sources of calcium include fresh dill and all those dark, leafy greens we talked about elsewhere in this list. You can't go wrong with dark, leafy greens.

8. Grab some ginger.

Ginger in any form can help relieve nausea.
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Why it helps: Ginger is a stomach soother when you're feeling nauseous. But it's also good for gas and bloating, according to Nutrition Twins Lyssie and Tammy Lakatos — both of whom are registered dietitians.

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9. Calm those cramps with chamomile tea.

Chamomile helps reduce muscle spasms.
Shutterstock

Why it helps: Chamomile tea is delicious, caffeine-free, and helps reduce muscle spasms. It can also calm you down, according to nutrition expert and registered dietitian Joy Bauer.

11. Peanut butter is more than just dark chocolate’s best friend — it’ll make you feel better, too.

Why it helps: Peanuts are a fantastic source of magnesium as well, Bauer told Everyday Health. Magnesium helps to regulate serotonin — and they might help prevent you from bloating as long as you stick to unsalted or low-salt varieties. That includes peanut butter as well, so those dark chocolate peanut butter cups are fair game.

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